1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for releasable securing electrical connectors between separate vehicles, and more particularly to a unified connector interface adapter apparatus adapted for securement to the rear of a towing vehicle, one end of the unified connector interface adapter to mate with a round towing vehicle plug receptacle configured with five or more electrical connectors, and the opposite end of the unified connector interface adapted for connection with a round vehicle plug extending from a towed vehicle with four or more, electrical connectors.
2. Background of the Invention
In recent years, the rising popularity of outdoor recreational activities, such as boating and camping, has led to an increase in the use of trailers, campers, and other towed vehicles. Moreover, many state and federal laws require that towed vehicles have on-board electrical systems for providing brake lights, turn signals, etc. These on-board electrical systems are usually controlled by the electrical systems of the towing vehicle. For example, when the brake lights on the towing vehicle are energized, the brake lights on the towed vehicle are also energized. This is also true for the turn signals, backup lights, etc.
Generally, a hard-wired electrical connection is installed to connect the electrical signals generated on the towing vehicle with responsive electrical signals on the towed vehicle. Hard-wired electrical connections typically include a plurality of mating plug and receptacle connections to enable the user to releasable secure the electrical connection, so that the vehicles may be easily separated when they are not joined together.
Typically, each vehicle includes a wiring harness, to which the mating plug and receptacle connections are secured. Each wiring harness includes a harness connector with male and/or female terminals in a pin and/or blade configuration in order to establish a releasable electrical interconnection between the wiring harness receptacle on the towing vehicle with the wiring harness plug on the towed vehicle.
The towed vehicle typically employs a wiring harness plug having an array of female pin or blade receptacles for releasable insertion with a complimentary array of male pin terminals within the wiring harness receptacle on the towing vehicle.
Trailer, campers and other towed vehicles have been rapidly evolving, and are now more sophisticated and larger in size. These towed vehicles are often equipped with a multitude of more complex accessories, such as towed vehicle electrical braking systems, separate air conditioners, stove and refrigerators, etc. These additional accessories require higher electrical currents and power, which require heavier and greater number of electrical interconnections. Electrical harness connectors having six or seven wires are becoming common on both towing and towed vehicles.
In order to conserve space, these larger and more complex wiring harness connectors are being arranged in circular configurations, resulting in round electrical connectors. These round harness connectors are often adapted for use with pin and/or blade, as well as with male and/or female terminal connectors. Four, six and seven round terminal connectors are now being used in the trailer industry.
Multi-terminal, round style, trailer harness connectors have become more popular in recent years. Since the number of terminals within a given trailer harness varies between vehicles, it is a common occurrence when one wishes to tow a vehicle equipped with a round trailer harness plug which does not mate with the round trailer harness receptacle of the towing vehicle. For example, the towing vehicle harness receptacle has seven terminals and the towed vehicle harness plug has six terminals, or both harnesses have the same number of terminals, but the style or pattern of each harnesses terminals do not match or mate.
Another problem occurs when the terminal pattern of electrical orientation is different between vehicles. If both towing and towed vehicle harnesses have seven terminals, the functional wiring pattern of each harness may not match. For instance, the location of the left turn signal light function terminal of the towing vehicle receptacle may have a different location than that of the appropriate mating terminal on the towed vehicle harness plug. Therefore electrical interface requires the ability to make proper electrical orientation between separate vehicles.
Another problem occurs when attempting to releasably secure a round trailer harness plug into a dissimilar sized towing vehicle round harness receptacle. If the towed vehicle plug diameter is too small, proper securement together can not be achieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,393 by C. Jeter, issued in Nov. 1, 1988, discloses a trailer light convertor having a conversion box mounted between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle, wherein jumper adapters are manually moved to adapt to various plug configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,853 by R. Orbanic, issued in Jan. 12, 1988, discloses a four pole electrical connector having variably position able switches for selectively connecting various electrical circuits of a first vehicle to corresponding electrical circuits of a second vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,960 by E. Hopkins et al., issued Feb. 9, 1993, discloses a trailer light connection system having a T-shaped connector, utilizing a modularized tap plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,524 by R. Hopkins et al., issued Jun. 27, 1989, discloses a T-shaped connector for mack lighting systems having three terminals, utilizing a modularized tap plug, with split wire connectors to simplify system installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,697 by E. Rodgers, issued Jul. 11, 1989, discloses a cable for interconnecting the lighting systems of a towing vehicle and a trailer, utilizing a plurality of individual wire, each with individual wiring connectors, which are manually positioned to match the layout of the incompatible wiring connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,644 by E. Feder, issued Sep. 13, 1988, is representative of a seven pin disconnectable, multi pole round connector, which requires a complimentary mating connector.